Trailer jacking device

Abstract

An improved trailer jacking device and method. The device comprises a trailer tongue frame, an adjustable pivotal strut mounted medially of said frame, and caster and wheel provided with a lock at the lower end of the strut. To connect a vehicle to a trailer equipped with such device, the strut stands in a position back past vertical, holding the tongue and female hitch member at a predetermined height, and the vehicle above the elevation of the hitch ball is backed toward the trailer tongue. As the vehicle pushes the trailer tongue backward, the strut will pivot forward, lowering the female member on the ball hitch and removing the weight of the trailer tongue from the strut. The strut is then moved upward to stowage position, or removed for stowage in the vehicle. To unhitch a trailer from a hitch ball, the strut is placed so that its wheel rests upon the ground in a forward position, the wheel is locked, and as the vehicle is driven forward the strut pivots backward to a position past vertical, raising the trailer tongue and female hitch member above and off of the ball hitch, thus disengaging the trailer from the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An improved trailer jacking device comprising, in combination, a trailer tongue frame mounted at one end of a trailer, an elongated, rigid strut one end of which is pivotally mounted medially of said frame and having a wheel at its other end free to rest upon the ground, said wheel being lockable with respect to said strut, and means for rigidly holding said strut in substantially vertical position with respect to said frame, so that when said wheel is placed upon the ground and locked and said strut pivoted into substantially vertical position with respect thereto, said frame will rise a preselected distance above the ground. 
     
     
       2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said frame includes a pair of cross-braces and a rigid housing mounted thereon, pivotally carrying said strut. 
     
     
       3. The invention of claim 1, wherein said elongated strut is provided with a series of apertures for adjusting said strut with respect to said frame so that when said strut is in vertical position, said frame may be raised or lowered with respect to the ground. 
     
     
       4. The invention of claim 1, wherein said support means includes a caster mounting the wheel to the strut. 
     
     
       5. The invention of claim 1, including a shoe attachable to the other end of the strut, said shoe including a pointed portion at the lower end thereof adapted to contact the ground during pivoting of said strut to prevent sliding of the wheel over the ground. 
     
     
       6. The invention of claim 1, wherein said means for rigidly holding said strut in substantially vertical position includes at least one brace mounted horizontally across the path of travel of said strut. 
     
     
       7. In combination with a trailer, an improved trailer jacking device comprising a trailer tongue frame mounted at one end of said trailer and having a female hitch member provided at one end thereof, a rigid elongated adjustable strut having a wheel which may be locked in rigid position with respect to said strut at one end disposed on the ground and the other end of said strut mounted medially of said frame so that said strut may pivot along a path substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said trailer, and means for holding said strut in substantially vertical position with respect to said frame so that when said strut is pivoted into vertical position, said female hitch member will be raised a preselected distance above a complementary male hitch member annexed to a towing vehicle. 
     
     
       8. The invention of claim 7, wherein said frame includes a pair of adjustable cross-braces, a rigid housing mounted on such braces having a pair of opposing sidewalls, and a shaft journaled through such walls, so that one end of said strut may be pivotally mounted on said shaft within such walls. 
     
     
       9. The invention of claim 8, wherein one end of said strut is provided with a plurality of apertures which may alternately receive said shaft, so that when said strut is pivoted into vertical position and said support means rests upon the ground, the height of said frame may be adjusted with respect to such ground. 
     
     
       10. The invention of claim 7, including a shoe attachable to said one end of the strut, said shoe including a depending pointed portion adapted to contact the ground during pivoting of said strut to prevent sliding of the wheel relative to the ground. 
     
     
       11. The invention of claim 10, in which said wheel includes a caster mounted above said wheel. 
     
     
       12. The invention of claim 7, in which said holding means is a cross-brace mounted horizontally across to said frame and across the path of travel of said strut. 
     
     
       13. A method of adjusting the height of a trailer with respect to a towing vehicle, comprising the steps of providing a towing vehicle with a first hitch member and the trailer with a trailer tongue frame having a second hitch member and additionally having a strut, one end of which is pivotally mounted medially of said frame and the other end of which includes a wheel lockable with respect to the strut and which is disposed on the ground to generally allow movement of the trailer over the ground, locking the wheel to prevent such movement, and driving said towing vehicle against or pulling said frame to pivot said strut into a substantially vertical or collapsed position, thereby raising or lowering said second hitch member with respect to said first hitch member. 
     
     
       14. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said providing step includes the step of providing the towing vehicle with a hitch guide partially surrounding the first hitch member, and wherein said driving step includes the step of driving the hitch guide on the towing vehicle against the frame to pivot said strut into a substantially collapsed position to lower the second hitch member with respect to the first hitch member. 
     
     
       15. A method for coupling and uncoupling a trailer having a first hitch member from a towing vehicle having a complementary second hitch member and including a strut pivotable with respect to the trailer in a plane parallel to the horizontal direction and provided with a lockable wheel at one end thereof, the method comprising the steps of locking the wheel, moving the vehicle in a first, generally horizontal direction, imparting the vehicle movement to the trailer to move the trailer in the same horizontal direction, and engaging the wheel at said one end of the strut with the ground while moving the trailer in the horizontal direction to thereby pivot the strut and raise or lower the first member. 
     
     
       16. A method according to claim 15 wherein the step of moving the vehicle in a horizontal direction comprises the steps of initially moving the vehicle towards the trailer, thereafter engaging a portion of the vehicle with a portion of the trailer, moving the trailer laterally with respect to the direction of movement of the vehicle to center the hitch members, and only thereafter moving the vehicle and the trailer together in the horizontal direction. 
     
     
       17. A method according to claim 16 wherein the towing vehicle has a hitch guide partially surrounding the second hitch member, and wherein said engaging a portion of the vehicle with a portion of the trailer comprises engaging the hitch guide with the first hitch member. 
     
     
       18. A method for coupling and uncoupling a trailer to a towing vehicle, the towing vehicle having a first hitch member adjacent to aft end, the trailer having a complementary second hitch member at its forward end mounted to a trailer tongue frame disposed above ground, and a strut pivotal in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the trailer, a lower end of the strut including a wheel engaging the ground to allow for movement of the trailer over the ground and maintaining the frame sufficiently spaced from the ground so that the second hitch member is above the first hitch member, the method comprising the steps of driving the vehicle towards the trailer in an aft direction, centering the coupling members with respect to each other, locking the wheel to prevent rotation thereof, thereafter moving the trailer with the vehicle in the aft direction to lower the frame and engage the hitch members, raising the wheel at the strut end above ground, and thereafter separating the coupled vehicle and trailer by lowering the wheel at the strut end and engaging it with the ground while the trailer remains coupled to the vehicle, and driving the vehicle in a forward direction away from the trailer to thereby pivot the strut, raise the frame with respect to the ground, and release the hitch members. 
     
     
       19. A method according to claim 18, including the step of locking the strut against relative pivotal movements in the position in which the coupling members are disengaged. 
     
     
       20. In combination with a trailer, an improved trailer jacking device comprising a trailer tongue frame mounted at one end of said trailer and having a female hitch member provided at one end thereof, a rigid housing mounted on said frame having a pair of opposing sidewalls, a rigid elongated adjustable strut having one end disposed on the ground and its other end mounted medially of said frame so that said strut may pivot along a path substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said trailer, a shaft journaled through the sidewalls so that one end of said strut may be pivotally mounted on said shaft within such walls, one end of said strut being provided with a plurality of apertures which may alternately receive said shaft so that the height of said frame may be adjusted with respect to such ground, and means for holding said strut in substantially vertical position with respect to said frame so that when said strut is pivoted into vertical position, said female hitch member will be raised a preselected distance above a complemntary male hitch member annexed to a towing vehicle.